


Your Head Is In The Clouds

by OctorokIdol



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A little angst, Canon Compliant, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Iwaizumi is always looking out for Oikawa, M/M, Oikawa really likes astronomy, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 07:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10381392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OctorokIdol/pseuds/OctorokIdol
Summary: Oikawa was a dreamer. He was always looking up at the sky, gazing at the clouds above and often forgetting reality and where he was.Iwaizumi was in love with that idiotic dreamer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh it's been a long time since I've sat down and wrote something. This was originally going to be a shorter 2k drabble or so, but then I got carried away and 9k words later here we are.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

Iwaizumi was always next to Oikawa. Anywhere else felt foreign.

It wasn’t that he was afraid to be away from Oikawa. They had known each other for as long as he can remember. Their enduring adventures through the woods nearby to find the biggest bugs (with Oikawa whining about the size of each beetle saying how unneeded it is they’re so big), or to go visit Oikawa at his house and vice-versa. He had never dealt with life more than a few weeks without the constant appearance of Tooru Oikawa, who adamantly made his presence among those around him.

His bento was hanging to the rail, eel and rice. Leftovers from yesterday. Of course, nothing can compare to the starry pieces of rice cutout in Oikawa’s lunch. Every day, he had something different. Yesterday, it was the shape of a UFO. Today, it was a bunch of stars. Oikawa’s face lit up, taking a bite and continuing to look around. The roof was solemn and quiet, proving a surprise to Iwaizumi. Normally there would be others around, but there has been a lot going on for clubs with the summer approaching, his volleyball club included.

However, Iwaizumi didn’t mind the emptiness. He found it enjoyable, being so close and intimate without anybody to stare at them.

“Look Iwa-chan! You can see so much of the sky today! All the clouds seem to have left,” Oikawa’s voice rang into Iwaizumi’s ears. They were sitting on the school roof; it was their usual place for lunch. The warming summer breeze occasionally would pass through the little space between the two. Their hands inches from each other on the cold barren bar atop the school roof. This was a tradition they had established since middle school—eating lunch together on the roof when it was warm out.

“I guess you can. Man, summer really is the best,” he muttered, gazing towards the blue vastness above.

“Yeah, because at night you have a higher chance of seeing a UFO pass by from how visible the sky is!”

“Only you would want to do that,” Iwaizumi grumbles, slouching over the bar more. He loves summer because there is more time for volleyball, the sun is out more and Iwaizumi has always enjoyed the fresh summer air coming from the nearby ocean, seeing as how close the ocean is to them. “Why waste your time searching for something that doesn’t exist?”

“Rude, Iwa-chan! I’ll have you know there are plenty of people who believe in UFO’s like me and would do anything to see a real life UFO,” Oikawa huffs, throwing his arms into a cross against his chest. “Besides, no use wasting my time explaining to a non-believer. If you get abducted, don’t come crying to me when I warned you 1000 times!”

“And for the 1001st time, I will never be abducted by aliens because they don’t exist, moron,” he jabs Oikawa’s right arm with light force, making Oikawa yelp a little and draws back, his face contouring into a pout.

“Hey! No fair! You can’t hit someone as pretty as me. What if I get a permanent bruise or you break my bones with your gigantic hands?” he voiced the usual pity voice that worked wonders on everyone but him and his teammates. After knowing him for so long, he’d think that Oikawa would figure out that Iwaizumi knows all his tactics. He knows more than just his tactics; from how much he watches Oikawa. From volleyball, to socializing with his fan club, to simply in the middle of class. He’s always around, and Iwaizumi can’t help but notice his quirks and traits that Oikawa has.

“Maybe your fan club would never show up and disrupt practice again, which we could concentrate more on our quicks and blocks, but that’s not fun for you, huh?” his sarcasm dripped from his tongue. Oikawa continued to pout, playfully hitting Iwaizumi’s arms.

“Meanie! Dummy! You wouldn’t understand what it feels like to have fans around you 24/7. You haven’t even been confessed to yet!”

“Is that a bad thing? You always cry to me about how difficult it is to reject a girl every time you get a confession,” Iwaizumi glances towards Oikawa. His brown tinted eyes were like a spell, capturing Iwaizumi. God, he could never get over how perfect Oikawa looked even when he was being an absolute nuisance or crying like a baby. His best friend may be one of the highest maintenance, selfish assholes he has ever met, but he is still in love with Tooru Oikawa. However, he knows his feelings will go away.

It’s hard to swallow such a reality, but Iwaizumi knew the consequences of falling in love with his best friend. He will always be his best friend, and that’s an idea he sometimes lays awake at night, struggling to comprehend but accepts. He’s selfish—he wants more of him than Oikawa could ever know. However, the feelings will go away. It’s a matter of time and patience.

Before Oikawa could respond, the school bell blared in the background, disrupting their banter. They turned their heads towards the noise, collecting their surroundings.

“I’m going ahead, Iwa-chan! Don’t be late for Japanese Literature,” Oikawa flashed his pearly smile, giving a cusp pat on his back before retreating. It took a second for him to snap back into his senses, collecting the remainder of his bento box before his eyes caught onto Oikawa’s personal chopsticks were left near the bar. That dumbass forgot them, and it’s easy to tell what’s Oikawa’s stuff when there are stars and the moon on the chopsticks.

“Hey, dumbass! You forgot your stupid chopsticks!” Iwaizumi hollered at him, following along with all of his belongings.

***

Iwaizumi loved volleyball. A whole lot.

The rushing adrenaline, making the sharp turns and spiking the ball, with his hands tracing over the leather of the volleyball before impounding it into the court, as if to smash the ground in front of him. The sensation of leaping into the air, to feel the cool release around him as he falls onto the court lightly, almost tumbling sometimes from how abrupt he lands. The raucous squeaks from his worn down athletic shoes dragging across the polished court. Everything about volleyball to him creates a sense of rush and power. Like he has the ability to leap over all obstacles in front of him.

At first, he never thought he could get into volleyball. It was when a tinier Oikawa at the age of 7 had approached him with a pamphlet of a volleyball camp going on for beginners, squealing how fun it may be to try this ( _“Iwa-chan! You have to go to this with me!”_ Oikawa would whine repeatedly). He didn’t understand the sudden urge to play volleyball that was illuminating from Oikawa, but he pondered for a bit, thinking it would be worth a try.

Now, in his third year at Aobajōsai, he was the ace for their volleyball club with Oikawa as his captain and favorite setter. On the court, there was a mysterious but warming wavelength the two shared during practices and games that helped push their team to victory. Their whole club had immense skill and Iwaizumi knew he could rely on his teammates, but Oikawa’s presence helped secure his confidence in his spikes.

At this time, Iwaizumi had collected his breath, trying to situate where his blockers would be. In a brisk dash, he darted to the left and could see an opening within the court in the middle. Only two blockers could reach him, but they had their eyes on the other members. He was familiar with this situation, and he knew exactly what to do. With one powerful leap, he shot into the sky. “Iwa-chan!” Oikawa’s voice immersed from his drowned out surroundings before he heard the whistling of the ball approach his palm, and smacking it down with all his might. Although a bit late, he made good enough contact to make a point on his side, and without realizing it, he fell onto the court, losing his balance and collapsing on his side. “Shit…” he stuttered out from pain, forgetting he had to make his landing too. Before he realized, he could see Oikawa towering over him, drawing his hand out. “You took quite the fall, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa held a smile, pulling Iwaizumi up through his sweat-glistened fingers.

“No thanks to your pass, idiot,”.

“Aw, if only you were a few inches taller, Iwa-ch-” Oikawa couldn’t finish the sentence when Iwaizumi struck his stomach, causing him to pull back and cough hoarsely. “Hey! Wasn’t anybody watching that? Violence is wrong!” he cried, jeering to the others watching the two in their argument.

“You were asking for that one, Oikawa,” one of his teammates, Hanamaki, commented loosely. He stretched out his arms, pushing back his light brown hair. “I’m surprised Iwaizumi-san can tolerate you so much,”.

“It’s a life-skill,” Iwaizumi replied nonchalantly. He collected the volleyball when his coach blew a loud whistle, indicating to cleanup. The usual routine was for the first years to clean the court while the rest either go change or help. Iwaizumi decided to assist with the first years, helping them with putting the net back and making sure everything was returned properly. He used to be a first year himself, the intimidating aura that their volleyball club had was striking, but he got used to the swing of it.

“I’m going to go see if we left anything outside, I’ll be back!” he called to the team. They all responded back in accordance as Iwaizumi left the gymnasium. Sure enough, some volleyballs had strayed outside into the grass from their practice. During the summers, it was nice to leave the gymnasium door open to let fresh air inside. It gets too stuffy with so many people inside, he likes the breeze that occasionally rolls in.

As he collected the volleyballs, Iwaizumi glanced up at the sky, noting the orange tinted shade it was turning to. The clouds had spiraled into what looked like a tornado, but in such a direction that he lost his eyes upon the movement. The orange that gradually was fused with the blue schemes during the day and the bright sun hiding behind a wandering cloud created a beautiful sunset. He continued to stare, losing track of time and feeling so small to how big the sky above him was.

“Iwa-chan! There you are,” he heard Oikawa’s soothing voice from behind. He was already changed into his school uniform, save for the unbuttoned jacket that was loose by his sides. Oikawa met his eyes, flashing a warm expression. “Finish up soon, everyone is already heading out, you know!”.

“Oh, my bad. You can head out too, then,” he gave an assuring wave to him. “I’ll be fine,”

“No! We need to discuss our strategy for practicing our quick and stopping other attacks like Shrimpy’s quick or Shiratorizawa’s offense, it’s important,” Oikawa pleaded. Ever since playing Karasuno, both had realized their skill from the new 1st years, the duo of Hinata and Kageyama, how powerful both are on the court. Oikawa’s rivalry against Kageyama has driven him to extremes in volleyball, partially the reason for who he is on the court. There was also Shiratorizawa, namely Ushijima, their desire to break free from the chains and win against them finally.

“I’d say our own quick and blocks are coming together well,” Iwaizumi added, twirling the volleyball in his palms. “We can do it better the more we practice,”.

“And when we finally block their quick and strike back against them,” Oikawa’s eyes widened, he cracked a wicked and twisted grin, starring into Iwaizumi’s eyes. “We can see the exact moment their hope breaks into pieces on the court,” his face, full of spite and grimace.

“Only you would want that, shittykawa,” Iwaizumi hurled the ball in his hands at Oikawa. He quickly caught it, dropping it loosely onto the lush green grass near him. “If only your fans heard you say things like that, they’d probably stay 100 kilometers away from you,”.

“They’re loyal people who appreciate me for who I am, unlike you,” he jeered, picking up the volleyball near him and throwing it back at Iwaizumi. Oikawa trekked to where he was, helping him pick up leftover equipment scattered on the ground outside. The winds had started to get colder, Iwaizumi was a bit cold from the wind blowing around him. His volleyball outfit was so loose; he could feel the lightest of drafts.

He glanced back at Oikawa, seeing him halted and starring above again. The sun continued to beat down on Oikawa, but the way he was standing made it almost seem like he was a lifeless statue, continuously looking upward. Iwaizumi flashed a small smile, continuing to put equipment away. He heard Oikawa’s breath hitch for a second.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” he glanced upon the sky, the orange radiant colors still shining over them entirely.

“Yeah… it really is,” Iwaizumi drew back, gazing again at the vast sky above him. He felt Oikawa get closer to him, like his presence was a missing puzzle piece. He loved how close they could be, it was their nature of their relationship and the two never questioned it. For a moment, it felt that time had stopped around them and their surroundings had come to a halt. The occasional wind dancing by and the distant sound of the trees howling from the wind illuminated his surroundings. He felt small, but at the same time, strong.

“I can see why you stare at the sky so much, Oikawa,” he mumbled just enough for him to hear. His voice rolled out smoothly, feeling lightness under his feet. “There’s so much color, so much space.”.

“Mmm... there’s more to it than just that, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa’s arms slithered over his shoulders, embracing in a warm lock that made Iwaizumi’s heart jump. He felt Oikawa’s chin rest on his shoulder, his figure pressed against his back. “The sky is so wide and open, there’s so much above us that we may never know. We can spend days, months, and even years trying to fulfill our lives with what is around us, but sometimes, we just need to look up and take in our surroundings,” Oikawa’s tone had dropped lower. It’s rare when he acts like this. It was surprisingly serious, so driven—he rarely showed this side, even to him.

“To me, the sky is a canvas of colors and adventures, every day we can learn something if we just gaze upon the atmosphere above us. What we see, what clouds look like, what stars there are, it’s all so dazzling and exciting. When I look up, I feel I see something new every day,” he remained embracing Iwaizumi. His heart was running miles in his chest, his breath hitched from just how he could feel Oikawa’s breath dance on his shoulder.

“You should look up at the sky more, Iwa-chan,” the way ‘Iwa-chan” rolled from his mouth, it was smooth and almost flirtatious, it caught Iwaizumi off for a second. He then felt Oikawa’s release around him disappear as the tall boy leaped away from him in a joyous hop.

“Sorry about that, guess I got a little side-tracked,” he stuck his tongue out playfully. There was a passing moment of silence between the two, he stood baffled, tripping over his words. Iwaizumi simply muttered in agreement, unsure how to press forward. The sun’s glistening rays that touched the ground fell onto Oikawa, his skin lightly touched by the warm rays. He gave a nod, creeping back near the gymnasium.

“Ah, you should hurry and get changed, Iwa-chan! I want to stop by the convenience store on the way home and get some milk bread, I’ll wait by the entrance of the school!” he called to him, retreating back to the gymnasium. Iwaizumi’s words were stolen from his mouth; he was left star struck from Oikawa’s little speech. Before he could realize it, the sun had started to call back behind the horizon and darkness was setting in. Quickly, he collected all of the equipment and headed back into the gymnasium, dropping everything off. He regained his senses, seeing Oikawa walking towards the exit in a haste.

“You should come back to earth, your head is in the clouds, shittykawa!” he hollered as loud as he could to Oikawa’s vanishing figure, before he himself went to go change. His cheeks flushed red, feeling super idiotic from yelling that out loud.

***

_From: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 18:07 P.M._

_Iwa-chan~ (;_ _﹏_ _;) do you know how to do the homework for Math?_

Iwaizumi gazed at the text message, his headphones hanging around his neck. He sprawled over his desk, looking at his phone. Usually, Oikawa was the one who was good at math.

_To: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 18:08 P.M._

_So now you need my help with math? What happened to all the times you made fun of me for not knowing a formula or equation, huh?_

Sure enough, his phone was vibrating within seconds.

_From: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 18:08 P.M._

_Well, that was simple stuff from our first year! This is calculus, I don’t get how to do some of the problems ┐( -“-)┌ so do you know how to do it?!_

He let out an exasperated sigh, before flipping through his homework and math notes. He snapped a few quick pictures, sending them to Oikawa. He glanced more at his pictures, realizing how long he has had his phone now, there were pictures from years ago. The chips and scratches beating around his case and how his phone has gotten slow over the years. He tapped his photos, opening a plethora of photos.

As he was going through his pictures, he browses the various photos he has taken over the past few years. While most are his surroundings, different food he has tried, and selfies that he’d never show the world, he sees some with Oikawa. One where in their 2nd year, Oikawa accidentally ran into the classroom door and got a bloody nose. The photo shows all of the girls in his class running to Oikawa with tissues. He chuckled under his breath, going through more of the photos.

Another is when they just got out of volleyball practice. Iwaizumi had taken a picture of two birds sitting upon power lines. He thought it was romantic, but what he didn’t see but managed to capture in his photo was Oikawa skidding off the path, into the grass on his bike. He remembers the moment he took the photo, he looked down at a fallen Oikawa, and how he reached out to him for help ( _“Oh Iwa-chan, I’ve fallen… and I can’t get up!”_ ). It was a silly moment; Iwaizumi couldn’t stop laughing from Oikawa’s situation.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed, startling Iwaizumi a bit and awakening him from his daze. To his surprise, it wasn’t Oikawa, but rather Hanamaki. He was curious, opening up the message.

_From: Hanamaki, 18:16 P.M._

_Oi, this time, I am ready. Tomorrow at lunch, we’re doing it. Arm-wrestling. Winner gets lunch from the loser._

He lit up in excitement, knowing how to pick his battles with Hanamaki. In one second, Iwaizumi was already typing a reply.

_To: Hanamaki, 18: 16 P.M._

_Deal, but when I win, how about you buy me Agedashi Tofu from that café we went to a few weeks ago? We have no practice tomorrow; it’ll work out perfectly._

_From: Hanamaki, 18:17 P.M._

_God, aren’t you cocky huh?? It’s like you inherit your boyfriend’s personality sometimes._

A shade of red touched Iwaizumi’s cheeks, making him draw back a bit, embarrassed. He began to type.

_To: Hanamaki, 18:18 P.M._

_That dumbass isn’t my boyfriend! Whatever, get ready to lose again at lunch tomorrow._

After sending the text message, he could still feel the flushing red heat from his cheeks as he buried his head into his arms on his desk. His headphones played a soft piano jazz piece that helped him relax. He closed his eyes for a bit, letting the music flood out his mind. He could feel a draft from outside rustle around his room, the warm air made him drowsy, like he could fall asleep right then. He felt like he was in a slowed time of some sort, where his surroundings laid dormant. He looked at his light blue walls that veiled his bedroom, almost looking like the bright sky in the midst of day. Immediately, his mind went back to the conversation he had with Oikawa. His slow and soft whisper, _you should look up at the sky more, Iwa-chan_ , his spine quivered from the way he could feel Oikawa’s breath and arms around him.

As he plopped himself up on his arm, his phone vibrated again. He was really popular tonight.

_From: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 18:32 P.M._

_Thank you, Iwa-chan!!_ _（＾ｖ＾）_ _I finished my math homework now and am free for the night!!_

_To: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 18:33 P.M._

_Good, but pay more attention in class so you can do your own homework next time. I can’t help you with college like I can now._

As he sent his text, Iwaizumi was struck with the idea about college. They were 3rd years, and in a few quick months, both would be parting their ways for the first time. Volleyball would be over shortly; he hadn’t really thought much about school. He assumed he would go to Tokyo, not continuing volleyball. However, Oikawa has had scouts on him since the end of 2nd year. Even though he loves volleyball and enjoys being the ace for his team, he never thought he would continue it after high school. It’s different for Oikawa.

Hours had passed as Iwaizumi finished homework with no response from Oikawa. He had heard his mother start up the bath, knowing it was about time to go to bed. Whatever, he’d just talk to Oikawa tomorrow, it wasn’t like he needed a response immediately.

***

Iwaizumi knew something was wrong with Oikawa.

It started when he couldn’t find Oikawa on the rooftop for lunch. He scanned his surroundings, looking in all cracks and crevices to where he could possibly be. For the first time in years, Oikawa ate away from Iwaizumi for lunch. He spotted him in a classroom nearby, making conversation with some other third years he was acquainted with.

His heart felt as if it had been pulled and tossed around. He knew Oikawa had friends, but he would at least tell him if he was going to do something. Of course, he was selfish to think how lunch was only for him and Oikawa, but he shrugged it off, before retreating to the classroom.

“Hey Iwaizumi, not eating with Oikawa today?” he heard Matsukawa call behind him when he sat down in his seat, tugging the cloth around his bento.

“Oh, he had something else to do…” he responded. Matsukawa was about to respond before he heard someone call him and he left, shooting a wave goodbye. Iwaizumi let out a drawn sigh, picking at his bento and glancing outside the classroom.

Eventually, the classroom came back and the teacher walked in as well, commencing class. Oikawa placed himself in the seat next to him. Iwaizumi took the chance, leaning over to get his attention.

“Hey, crappykawa,” he whispered among the silence of the class after lunch. Only the sound of scratches from chalk dragging against the chalkboard poured into the class. “Tell me next time if you’re not gonna be on the roof, I found you eventually, but…” he trailed off, losing track of his train of thought. Oikawa gave a dismissive wave to him, eyeing him down.

“Sorry Iwa-chan, I was invited to eat lunch with some other people in our neighboring class,” he finished, glancing back at the board. Before Iwaizumi could ask anything again, he could feel the sharp glance of his teacher look at him, indicating him to be quiet. He sank into his seat, only to steal a few looks at Oikawa, worrying for the rest of the day.

***

Oikawa was starting to act distant. Starting with a few days, then to a week.

His reassuring words and conversation between classes cut down immensely. All he would do is talk to Iwaizumi during volleyball and once or twice during school, but never anything else. He claimed he was sick or busy with his finals coming up, despite knowing they always studied together for their exams. He continued to meet with the same people for lunch.

Iwaizumi was growing frustrated, knowing there was something going on with his best friend. He felt the aggravation spike in him, shooting down one of the volleyballs during practice near Hanamaki’s head.

“O-oi…” he retreated back, quivering a bit. “Try not to kill me, it’s just warm ups,”. Iwaizumi quickly took a bow.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to hit so hard…” he bit his tongue in a bit of frustration. His eyes locked onto Oikawa on the opposite end of the court. He flashed his usual cheery face, the one with his teammates or the people in class, but he knew something was wrong with him. The glowing radiance of his captain-like skills was gone, Iwaizumi couldn’t recognize him at all.

Hanamaki caught glance of what he was looking at, a smirk plastered on his face. “Oh, so this is about Oikawa, isn’t it?”.

“Well… y-yeah,” he threw his arms back around his head. “He’s been acting different, haven’t you noticed?”.

“He seems to just be occupied, but I guess you two had a couple’s argument or something, I see I see,” Hanamaki tossed the ball back to Iwaizumi.

“We didn’t get into a fight or anything, he just stopped responding to me,” Iwaizumi spun the volleyball in his palms, recollecting their last conversation. “Normally when he acts like this, he comes around in a few days. It’s been a week now and he still won’t tell me anything, no matter how much I ask,” he draws a sigh. The blowing of the whistle disrupts his thinking, realizing it’s time to start practice. He tosses the volleyball to the side of the court, parading to where everyone else is.

“He’ll come around, Iwaizumi,” Hanamaki approached his side. He lay his arm around Iwaizumi’s shoulders, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “He listens to you, you’re his closest friend. You gotta just make sure he knows that whenever he wants to talk, you’ll listen to whatever he has to say. You’re a smart guy, if anyone can get him to come around, it’s gotta be you,” Hanamaki ruffled Iwaizumi’s hair before giving him one last reassuring pat on the back. He grinned at Iwaizumi, beaming with joy.

“Yeah… I’ll do that, thanks Hanamaki. You’re really a good friend,”.

“Hey, can’t have Aobajōsai High’s number one couple going down the drain, you know? Matsukawa and I would die if that happened,”.

“I take it back, you’re a train wreck,”.

***

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, waiting for him.

There was a heavy weight burdening his legs, they refused to budge. He lay against the wall of the gymnasium, waiting. Oikawa was still changing, he managed to get out fast enough and was going to confront him. Rather, he was going to attempt talking to him again. But it felt different this time, he felt nervous. Anxious.

The pattering of footsteps caught Iwaizumi’s attention. Sure enough, Oikawa had stepped outside. The twilight painted sky was pink and blue, the sun was gone at this point. Oikawa hadn’t noticed Iwaizumi, he continued to walk forward. Swallowing his heart, Iwaizumi stepped behind Oikawa. “Hey, shittykawa!”.

Oikawa glanced at Iwaizumi from behind his shoulder. His stare was cold and distant, unfamiliar and unwelcome. “Iwa-chan, you should go home now,” his lips tugged at a weak smile before he turned away, still walking from him.

“Hey!” his tone was a bit more hostile than he wanted. He took a deep breath, looking into Oikawa’s backside. “I came here to tell you something,” he spoke calmly. Oikawa halted in his tracks, facing away from him. “I don’t know why you’re mad, and I don’t know if it was me or something else, but I’m your best friend Tooru,” his voice sounded raspy and dry. “You can always tell me anything on your mind,”.

“I appreciate the concern, Iwaizumi,” the way Oikawa’s tongue rolled around Iwaizumi was foreign—he much preferred the annoyance of “ _Iwa-chan!”_ or something else of a higher pitch, something more like Oikawa.

“But I need to be heading home, so I’ll see you at practice tomorrow,” he gave a wave from behind, walking down the path away from school. Oikawa’s figure grew darker and shorter, walking the opposite direction of where they used to walk home. This wasn’t what he wanted at all, he never wanted Oikawa to be like this.

He could feel the sting of tears build up in his eyes before he yelled one last time:

“When you get your fucking head out of the sky, then you can tell me what’s wrong, trashykawa!” he hollered as loud as he could, belching his voice with enough force. He could see Oikawa stop for a second, before he was resuming his steps and eventually vanishing along the streets. The sky had grown to a darkened and mysterious shade of blue, the last few clouds breaking apart within the sky. In frustration, he screamed as loud as he could, slamming his fist into the nearby wall. Everything was frustrating and nothing made sense. He just wanted Oikawa to at least look at him, or even recognize him.

He pulled his fist back, shaking off any pain he was feeling. He turned away, walking in the opposite direction as his best friend.

***

_From: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 20:37 P.M._

_Are you awake?_

_To: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 20:46 P.M._

_Yeah._

_From: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 20:47 P.M._

_Meet me at the school in 20 minutes. I want to see you._

_To: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 20:50 P.M._

_Why?_

_From: Trashy/Shitty/Crappykawa, 20:51 P.M._

_Please, I really want to see you, Iwa-chan._

***

His feet kept moving, his heart was heavy, He didn’t know why, but he kept moving.

Iwaizumi exerted himself as much as he could, running to the school only a 25-minute walk away. He should have brought his bike, but he didn’t even think that much ahead. Instead, he raced out of his room with only a light black hoodie with the words “COOL” in English, and worn out sneakers from years of use.

The night was quiet and calm, solemn air and space left him alone to his thoughts as he ran. He felt immense worry for Oikawa. He didn’t know what he wanted, he didn’t know anything. All he knew was Oikawa better have a good reason to call him out so late at night.

Upon his haste, he was drawing out of breath before approaching the quaking school buildings in front of him. He slowed down to a walk before approaching the front gates of the school. Sure enough, he could see Oikawa under the distant street light and the thousands of stars shinning on him. He glanced at Iwaizumi, his eyes widening a bit.

“I didn’t think you would come, Iwa-chan…” he timidly spoke, unlike Oikawa at all. He tried to reply back, but nothing was coming out. He felt a heavy weight press on his chest, his voice trapped and dancing through his lungs. He inhaled, taking a deep breath before blowing out the tension in his body.

“I probably shouldn’t have,” he was frustrated, but more worried about Oikawa. “So, why did you ask me to come here? If you wanted to talk, you could always call. I have a cellphone,”.

“Well, I want to hop the gate,” Oikawa turned towards the fence before gripping the iron bars and throwing himself up. He reached his leg over, eventually landing on the other side. “Come on, I’ll help you if you need it,”.

“Are you going to tell me why we are breaking into the school on a Saturday Night?”.

“Not until you climb over, Iwa-chan,”.

“You ignore me for weeks, and you expect me to- “.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa pleaded through the gate. He batted his eyes, ushering him with his hands. “I promise, it’s a good reason,”.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes before gripping onto the bars as well, using his upper body strength. He realized how weak his legs were from just running, but managing to drag them across. He lands, almost falling onto the ground.

“So, I’m over the fence, will you finally tell me what’s going on?” Iwaizumi questioned. Without warning, Oikawa’s fingers entwined with Iwaizumi, causing his heart to run a marathon and surprise him. He continued to stare down at Iwaizumi, breathing in hitches and tightening his grip onto Iwaizumi’s hands. He couldn’t help but lock his fingers firmly around Oikawa’s too, feeling his pulse race quickly.

“I know you’re confused, but just hold on and run with me,” he pushed forward, almost in a sprinting motion. Their hands were still together, but Oikawa took the lead as Iwaizumi had no idea where he was going. It was very dark, but he could hear the sound of Oikawa colliding with the ground with each footstep he took. He realized they were going behind the school, to near the gymnasium where they practice often.

The field was wide and open in front of them, there was so much space he could run through. The constant blades of grass touching his ankles as he ran with Oikawa were a little wet, leaving behind some traces on him. He felt a sting of romantic air, realizing that the two were at their school past closing time and were running through the field hand in hand. He felt heat rise through his cheeks in a blush, but also he missed the sensation of Oikawa’s touch against his own skin.

He felt his feet go up a bit of a hill when they started to go up. Almost tripping from how close he was to Oikawa, he poised himself up and called out. “Hey, dumbass, where are we even going?”.

“We’re almost there, just a bit more,” Oikawa replied. After a few more seconds, Oikawa had come to a stop and Iwaizumi broke from his grip. He went a few steps further before turning back to Oikawa. At this time, he realized how empty the school was without any of the students. It was just him and Oikawa, alone in the open field under a crimson blue sky. Before he could say anything, Oikawa lifted his fingers, pointing above them. “Look Iwa-chan,” he spoke in a mollifying way. “The stars are everywhere,”.

When he gazed up, there were even more stars visible. Constellations painted the sky left and right with dozens of tiny specks of light shining on the two. The moon slumbered in the corner, illuminating the rest of the sky with only a little bit of light for Oikawa and Iwaizumi. There was so much to look through, so much he could see. He felt so small when he looked up, as if he was only a small speck to the universe. They had run farther than he thought and were on the opposite end of the school. You could see the street lights from afar and the neighboring houses, the world was going to sleep. He immersed himself through the space, in awe of how clear the sky was.

He then looked at Oikawa, and he felt himself come to a stop physically and mentally.

He looked beautiful. He looked beautiful every day, but he looked surreal and poised under the stars. God, he wishes he could take a photo and everything would come out accurately as he sees it. His skin was lightly glowing from the stars above, but he could see his figure outline, his hair still shinning from the evening dew. There was so much he could take in just looking at him, and the sky above him. He felt like they were the only two people left in the universe, comfortable and in solitude.

Oikawa sat down in the grass beside him. His face cringed a little from the wetness, but he ushered Iwaizumi. “Come on, it’s not too wet,” he patted the space next to him lightly, just enough for Iwaizumi to see.

Iwaizumi hesitated at first, but he crouched down, feeling the grass. It was even more wet than when they were running to get here. He sat down, feeling a shudder from the cold, wet sensation before eventually settling in. His hands cupped nicely over Oikawa’s, holding them lightly. His index finger rubbed small circles into the side of Oikawa’s hand. He felt the weight of his head press against the grove of his neck, Oikawa tucked closer in, murmuring a little as he inched closer.

“I come here sometimes when I run to look at the stars, it helps me think,”.

“You run to the school? And at night?”.

“Sometimes. Only if I really feel the need to practice or aim high, like when I know an important match is coming,” he inched his head in more, as Iwaizumi instead wrapped his arm around Oikawa’s body, his hands ruffling through parts of his hair.

“You shouldn’t overwork yourself, you tend to do that,”.

“It’s okay, Iwa-chan. I manage, I’m holding myself back you know.”.

“I’m still going to worry, dumbass,”.

The two sat in the silence of the night, only witnessing the shimmering of the stars and the occasional light breezes that danced through the little space they had within each other.

“You can see the big dipper, Orion’s belt, and I think Orion’s shield if you squint hard enough. Maybe we can see a UFO?!” Oikawa looked like a little kid, hopping around in his seat, continuing to discuss more about the stars. He knew he loved astronomy and learning about the constellations through grade school. People made fun of him for how smart he was about space, but Iwaizumi loved to hear about it, no matter how much he protested.

“You’re one hell of a dreamer, you know?” he dragged his rigid fingers through the locks of Oikawa’s smooth hair. He massaged his scalp slowly, running his fingers gently through all his locks. Oikawa’s hair was always spot on, despite the product he used. It always felt soft to him.

“But really, look at them all,” Oikawa lifted his hands, pointing to the dots scattered throughout the sky. “There’s so much outside of earth, Iwa-chan. It’s incredible,”.

“Yeah…” he felt Oikawa inch closer in. The two were kept looking up, lost in a daze. They had lost track of time and Iwaizumi felt comfortable. He felt like this was right, this is what he wants. Oikawa really was a handful, but he had his moments like this that made him crave the touch of his best friend. Oikawa began to trace some shape, he couldn’t really tell what it was, onto his arm, the two sat in the stillness upon the evening dew hill.

Iwaizumi felt a wet spot on his shoulders develop. Looking up, he couldn’t see any rainclouds as the sky was visible. He glanced down and saw Oikawa with tears in his eyes, drooping down onto a part of his shoulder. Quickly, he broke away to face Oikawa directly, situating himself in front of him. “What’s been going on, Oikawa?” he rubbed his shoulders lightly. He let out whimpering sobs before smothering himself into Iwaizumi’s hoodie. He continued to pet his hair, gently soaring his fingers through his locks. “You can tell me what’s going on, I’m here for you, you know?” he gave a reassuring grin towards him.

“Iwa-chan…” he began, losing his breath from the copious sobs. “I-I’m sorry, Iwa-chan, for avoiding you, for i-ignoring you, for going to hang out with those p-people when I should have been with you, I’m sorry, I’m really, really sorry,” he hiccupped. Iwaizumi let an exasperated sigh slip through his lips. He lightly cupped his chin, lifting it up for Iwaizumi to look into his eyes gently.

“I forgive you, moron,” he spoke softly, wiping away his tears falling. “It’s impossible for me to stay mad at you forever anyway,” he still held his grin, continuing to reassure Oikawa and rub his back, drawing small circles into the fabric of his shirt. They stayed like this for almost an eternity, neither of them letting up.

The sounds around them had trailed off, becoming quieter. He could hear the distant sounds of bugs chirping into the forests, and the occasional bird passing over them. Oikawa lifted himself away from Iwaizumi, his eyes dry from his crying. He took a deep breath before looking back up towards the sky in front of them. “I got accepted into a university in America to play Volleyball. I decided I’m going to take it.”.

“What? Are you serious?” Iwaizumi questioned. He gave a quick nod before Iwaizumi pulled him into a big hug. “That’s amazing! God, Oikawa, that’s incredible!” he shook Oikawa in excitement, but he looked away from him with sorrow in his eyes.

“But, I’ll be overseas, and I don’t know what you planned to do for college, but I never thought America would be in the picture. Iwaizumi, I feel attached, we’ve grown up together and spent so much time together,” a cold, summer wind danced between the two, making him step back a little. “I would bother you while you were in college, and I can’t do that when I’m in another country. So, I…” he stopped, biting his lower lip and looking away.

“You thought that we should go our own ways now, so you decided to cut me out of your life?” Iwaizumi was firm, looking at Oikawa. He huffed, before looking back towards him, giving a small nod to him. Iwaizumi drew his fingers through Oikawa’s hair playfully, holding his embrace. Oikawa nodded, and Iwaizumi felt a pain through his sides.

“Oikawa, if this was about my text, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I’d help you if you needed it of course,” Iwaizumi tried to jester kindly, meeting his friend’s gaze.

“It wasn’t your text. Besides, Iwaizumi… there’s so much more to this,” Oikawa had staggered back, tossing his fingers through his hair. “We needed to go our own ways, no matter how much I selfishly wanted you to stay by my side. It wouldn’t be fair if I held you down with me. You have your own life, your own dreams. And I…” there was a tense pain running through Oikawa’s voice. “No matter how much I needed you, I couldn’t be selfish,”.

There was a stand-still between the two. They stared at each other in silence, he felt Oikawa’s seriousness from his tone. Iwaizumi glanced down, feeling a shiver run through his body from the occasional cold wind. Iwaizumi drew his fingers, scratching at his head in a bit of confusion. There was so much he could say.

“You’re a moron, you know that? Did you ever think what would I feel about that? It’s not just you who needs the other,” he took in another deep breath, feeling himself shake and his eyes were fighting back tears. “I need you, Tooru. I’ve always needed you. Even when you are a piece of shit who has a terrible personality, obnoxious girls following you around 24/7, and you whine a lot, you really are my best friend and I don’t care how far you leave Japan, I still want to talk to you, I want to be in your life!” he was almost shouting before he realized where he was, trying his best to lower his voice. “Besides, nothing is going to change our friendship if we end up at different colleges, idiot. I’m sure we will call each other and work out the time zones. We can always skype or just text each other, it’ll be fine “. Another passing silence drifted by them, he kept ahold of Oikawa gently.

“Do you really mean that?” Oikawa interrupted, having pushed himself a considerable distance between the two. He seemed flushed, holding onto the front of his shirt with his shaky, clenched fist. “There’s more I need to tell you,”.

“What do you mean, Oikawa?” he raised his eyebrows, trying to close the gap between them, but Oikawa had stepped back again. Iwaizumi felt a stab in his heart, watching Oikawa’s face twist into sadness. He tried to reach for him with his arm, but couldn’t extend far enough.

“Oikawa, you’re acting weird. what do you me- “

“Hajime, I’m in love with you,”.

He paused, losing his voice and just starring back at Oikawa.

Oh. He was in love with him.

He stood there for a second, trying to process what he heard. He analyzed every word, making sure he heard right. Iwaizumi had a blank expression, just looking down in shock. Oikawa lowered his eyebrows and backed away more. So much was going through his head, his heart was running laps and his brain was going into overdrive. His vision was starting to get blurry, everything around him was spinning.

“You… love me?”.

“Yes, Iwa-chan. That is what I said,”.

“Love, like… love-love?”.

“Yes! I love you! Iwa-chan, please don’t make this any harder than it is!” Oikawa was tense, his pitch was flaring up. “For years, I’ve been in love with you, Iwa-chan. I just didn’t know how you felt, so I never said anything. But I can’t go off to college, going so far away and being just friends, so if you don’t like me that way, then I can at least know that and move on,”. His voice started to crack as his eyes watered. He sniffled under his breath, trying to keep himself steady. God, there was so much going on.

“But… what about all the girls you dated? What were they, then?”.

“Well, I never really was serious with them. I never felt a strong connection, so we always broke up within the first week. I just decided it wasn’t worth dating girls anymore because none of them were you,” Iwaizumi’s heart was barely contained in his chest. None of this seemed real, he may have been dreaming and will possibly wake up within the next few minutes. This all seems too good to be true, everything going on.

There was silence flooding the two of them, Iwaizumi had no idea how to respond he was in such shock. Oikawa drew closer, his eyes locking onto him. “Can you at least say something, Iwa-“.

Oikawa was cut off by Iwaizumi’s chapped lips pressing against him. He may have dived in a little too hard, crashing a bit and missing his lips at first, but he felt his heart exploding and erupting into a fast pulse, because this was what he had waited so long for, almost years now for. He started to tear up as well, feeling his cheeks dampen as Oikawa gave in, kissing back. They stayed like this, holding each other’s hands on the lone hill in the empty field.

“I thought that would answer your question,” he imitated Oikawa, sticking out his tongue. They were only inches away from each other.

“Iwa-chan…” he whispered against his lips, feeling his fingers climb up his spine. He broke away from the taste of Oikawa, looking into his alluring eyes and soft messy hair. They felt like a missing puzzle piece coming together with its other half.

“I love you, Tooru. For years and years, I just never thought you liked me, ever,” he disconnected from his grasp on Oikawa, backing away. “I don’t know, you just seemed interested in someone else, someone that wasn’t me,”.

“But, but, that...,” Oikawa’s eyes lit up, as he busted into an uproar. He slapped his hands against his forehead, continuing in a hysterical state. “God, we’re really idiots,” Oikawa started to sniffle too, Iwaizumi saw tears coming down his eyes again. But he was still laughing, and crying at the same time. He could feel himself sobbing too, his cheeks were puffy red.

The two connected their foreheads, wiping each other’s faces and wrapping their arms over each other’s waists. They were both in a daze, conjuring each other’s reactions through their faces.

“Hanamaki is going to go wild when he hears about this,” Iwaizumi could imagine him cheering and putting on a party for the two.

“What was he saying?”.

“He has been cheering for this moment since we were first years. He kept saying how silly and sad it was we hadn’t just confessed to each other,”.

“So Hanamaki figured it out, but we couldn’t?”.

“God, when you put it that way, I feel like an idiot,” Iwaizumi’s eyes felt dry, his cheeks were still tinted red. Oikawa was still glowing, his eyes were burning fireworks. He released a drawn sigh of relaxation.

“Wee really, really, really are idiots,” the two were laughing together, yet still crying at the same time. He hasn’t felt such relief in a long time, the crushing weight bearing on his chest has been lifted slowly and surely. Eventually, they broke apart from their entangled limbs and Oikawa did his signature peace sign pose, flashing it into his face.

“Then I grant to you, the honor of being my boyfriend, Iwa-chan!” he declared, puckering his lips out. “You should feel special, this is what my fan club dreams of every night,” he puffed his chest out and he dawned his arms to his hips, looking even more like an egomaniac.

“When you put it like that, I want to run far away from you,”.

“Iwa-chan! I just confessed to you, and that’s what you have to say?!”.

“Fine, I accept the honor of being your boyfriend, shittykawa,” and Iwaizumi leans in again for another kiss because there is nothing more he could have ever wanted than to close the space between them. “Someone has to do the job anyway, or else you would run yourself into a hole,”.

“Meanie! I will not run myself into a hole. Even when we go to college, I’ll prove to you that I-no…” he stops himself. “We, can manage just fine, no matter what,”.

“Yeah, whatever happens, even if you and I are thousands of miles apart for months at a time,” he embraced Oikawa with a warm hug, placing his ear against his chest, hearing the up and down beat of his heart. “You and I will be just fine,” he sounded muffled, being pressed into Oikawa’s chest.

“But let’s enjoy the present. Let’s enjoy the current time, and the sky above us. Let’s enjoy our surroundings right now, that’s what you once told me, right?” Iwaizumi lifted himself up, wrapping his arms around Oikawa’s neck. Oikawa broke into a fit, he kept laughing and holding his hands to his hips.

“Iwa-chan, the way you said that was way too cheesy and cliché, come o-” and Iwaizumi slammed his fist into his arm out of pure habit, Oikawa lost his balance, coming close to falling down the hill. Iwaizumi lowered his fist, quirking his eyebrows. He felt a bit of hesitation in himself, realizing you don’t usually punch your significant other.

“But, you were the one who said it first!”.

“Yeah, but when I said it, it sounded beautiful. When you say it, it sounds like a machine malfunctioning or something worse,” he pursed his lips, snickering, and Iwaizumi for once, let it go. He had nothing to be mad about, he had Oikawa. Oikawa had him. He hasn’t felt so good and so happy in years. Right now, all of his fantasies that kept him up at night were coming true. The chains around his heart were breaking, he felt a warm release of happiness when he looked at Oikawa. The illumination from the stars still beat onto his face, but he could see the first authentic smile in weeks from him. He was doing flips in his stomach, knowing they were now dating. He was dating the love of his life, his best friend, and his favorite setter. They could kiss whenever they want, they could do anything together.

“I don’t really want this night to end, but…” Oikawa regained his posture, glancing down at his watch strapped to his wrist. “We should probably go home, Iwa-chan,” he began scanning the surroundings. When he looked down at his phone, the light from his screen shinning in his face, Iwaizumi realized it was almost midnight, they had been here for an hour already.

“Shit, that late already? I hope my mom hasn’t noticed I’m gone,” he scratched the side of his head before throwing his phone back into his pocket. They nodded in unison before going down the hill far from their school.

The two walked in sync together, their hands connected and they had passed through the wet grass on the way back. Their shoulders brushed against each other, not speaking one word but using their actions to talk. They reached the gate, climbing over the iron and back in the street. Iwaizumi looked over at Oikawa, squeezing his hand firmly.

“I’m gonna go home, will you be alright on your way back?” he whispered softly to Oikawa. The lanky boy gave a quick thumb up, flashing his grin.

“Of course! I have two working legs, Iwa-chan,” he kicked the ground beside him. Iwaizumi sneered, flashing a quick wave and turning away, but only able to take a few steps before he felt a firm grip on his shoulder, turning him around. Oikawa closed in for one last kiss, their lips fitting just right. He pushed, kissing him back, feeling the heat from Oikawa’s breath push against him and his eyes closed, letting him take over.

He could get used to this.


End file.
